YearToAvoid

2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#5 most-complained of 9 Ram 1500 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 carries a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 5th worst of 9 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 792 complaints, 9 recall campaigns (including 2 do-not-drive recalls), and Electrical System as the top complaint area at 26% of reports.

Complaints
792
Recalls
9
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
43 / 8
Injuries / deaths
42 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
13 city / 17 hwy

Top 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System202 (26%)
  2. Airbags193 (24%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires130 (16%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain100 (13%)
  5. Steering84 (11%)
  6. Engine74 (9%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers49 (6%)
  8. Brakes45 (6%)
  9. Other34 (4%)
  10. Fuel System23 (3%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during crashes, including collisions against trees, bridges, and medians.
  • Drive shafts and transmission linkages reportedly disconnected or failed while towing, sometimes leading to loss of control.
  • Owners describe brake pressure increasing or brakes failing outright, with repeated replacements of front and rear components.
  • Vehicles reportedly drifted or fishtailed unexpectedly at highway speeds, especially in wet or cold conditions.
  • Some owners report unintended acceleration when shifting into park, resulting in low-speed collisions.
  • Seat belts did not retract properly after crashes, and steering was described as suddenly pulling to one side.
2006 Dodge Ram 1500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter662006 Q12008 Q32011 Q12013 Q32016 Q12018 Q32021 Q12023 Q4
993 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q1 to 2026 Q1; peak 2015 Q3 (66).

2006 Dodge Ram 1500 recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V352000May 24, 2016Airbags4,648,270 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.

    Risk: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.

  2. NHTSA 15V313000May 26, 2015Airbags4,077,169 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began for Chrylser on June 8, 2015. The recall for Mitsubishi started on June 24, 2015. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Mitsubishi owners may call 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler's number for this recall is R25. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V817 in its entirety. Vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.

  3. NHTSA 14V795000Dec 16, 2014Electrical System54,164 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition:switch

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, Dakota, and 2006 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to July 31, 2006 with manual transmissions. The return springs in the clutch ignition interlock switch may break.

    Risk: Broken springs can result in a no-start condition, or cause unintended movement when the ignition is cranked, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clutch ignition interlock switch, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P80.

See all 9 recalls for the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 →

2006 Dodge Ram 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13 MPG
Highway
17 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Ram 1500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100200520062007200820092010201120122014
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid1001,1684 !14
2006Caution507929 !14
2007Caution135174 !14
2008Caution385545 !15

All Dodge Ram 1500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2006 Ram 1500 a Complaint Index of 50 with a Caution verdict, ranking 5th worst among 9 model years covered. It has 792 complaints and 9 recall campaigns, including 2 do-not-drive recalls for airbag issues.
What is the top problem area for the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500?
Electrical System complaints lead with 202 reports, 26% of the total, at a median mileage of 58,000 miles. Airbags follow closely at 193 complaints, or 24% of the total.
Does the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 have any do-not-drive recalls?
Yes, it has 2 do-not-drive recalls, both related to airbags, campaigns 16V352000 and 15V313000, where owners are told not to drive until repairs are complete.
How does the 2006 model compare to other Ram 1500 years?
The 2006 model's Complaint Index of 50 is better than the 2005 model (100, Avoid) and 2009 model (88, Avoid) but worse than 2010 (25, Good) and 2007 (13, Caution).
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Dodge Ram 1500?
EPA rates the 2006 Ram 1500 at 14 mpg combined (13 city / 17 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,650.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.